La loi du far-west

An underrated western, and much disliked by people who mistakenly believe that B oaters ought to stick to the traditional pattern. Everyone involved tried to do something original and unique and, for the most part, they succeeded. Slowly paced, to be sure, but then again this was not made for the moron crowd that only wants action, action, action - this is a melancholy movie that favors characterization over plot, and needs to be seen as a one of a kind film to be appreciated. One example of the novel approach - the film begins with Bat as an elderly newspaperman in New York City, circa 1919 (he died later that year), close friends with the young gossip columnist Louella Parsons, who in real life idolized him. There's a flashback to 'the old days,' when young Bat cleaned up Dodge City as town marshal. Actually, Bat never was that - he served as Wyatt Earp's deputy (Earp was the marshal in Dodge) then ran for sheriff and won. In fact, much of what's attributed to Bat here actually happened to Wyatt, who is never seen and mentioned only once. The film collapses the killing of two different real life saloon girls into one fictional character, the title one, and likewise combines the killers of the two women - a tough army sergeant named king and a cattle baron named Kennedy - into 'King Kennedy.' In this version, Bat became a newspaper man owing to the "woman's" pleas - though historically he got the idea on his own. The point is, this is historical fiction, a drama based on reality, and the historicity of the piece is evident less in the story per se but in the remarkably accurate portrait of Dodge at that time, including things most westerns leave out - like the arrival of stage star Eddie Foy (played, incidentally, by one of his descendants), church services, etc. The underrated Albert Dekker, usually cast as villains, makes a fine Bat, cane and derby hat intact. Fans of routine westerns will want to stay away, but those who appreciate something out of the ordinary? Catch this appealingly little understated film!

This B western was the product of Producer Harry "Pop" Sherman and Director George Archaimbaud, both who worked prodigiously on the Hopalong Cassidy series. Pop Sherman was trying to expand his horizons with this one.

Claire Trevor who played innumerable bad gals with hearts of gold reprises another one here. She's caught between two men lawman Bat Masterson and Cattleman King Kennedy played by Albert Dekker and Barry Sullivan respectively. Barry Sullivan is a thing of beauty, all decked out in his drugstore cowboy outfit. He was competent actor, but he must have felt like a fool in that outfit.

Albert Dekker played a lot of supporting roles opposite some of the biggest Hollywood names. He rarely was a lead, this and Dr. Cyclops two major exceptions. He's good in the title role. Masterson tells this story in flashback to a young actress playing aspiring reporter Louella Parsons. Didn't hurt in 1943 to give her a plug in any film.

Albert Dekker was one of the great tragedies in Hollywood. In 1968 he hung himself after completing his last role in The Wild Bunch. He hung himself and he was all decked out in woman's clothing. I've always felt that he was a transgendered person and back in 1968 those issues were NEVER discussed. I think Mr. Dekker wanted to go out as the real person he was, a woman in a man's body.

A great cast of supporting players rounds out this film, a lot of familiar faces you'll spot. Nice entertainment.

The movie is a semi-autobiography adding a love story with a standard eternal love triangle (Dekker-Claire Trevor-Sullivan), musical numbers and numerous shootouts . The movie is inspired on true events . Thus , Bartholomew ¨Bat¨ Masterson (1853-1921) spent the last twenty years of his life as a popular sports writer on New York newspaper . Previously he had taken part in the battle of Adobe Walls in 1874 in which a small party of hunters beat off a fierce attack by hundreds of Indians , events narrated in the meeting between Bat and the old man at the beginning of the film . In 1878 the marshal of Dodge City was shot by two cowboys , Bat (Albert Dekker) rushed to the scene and gunned down the killer . Bat was appointed as deputy U.S. marshal by the Mayor (Porter Hall) and shortly after captured noted outlaw (in the film King Kennedy featured by Barry Sullivan) . Along with Bat were hired to keep the peace as lawman Wyatt Earp and Bill Tilghman . In 1902 he settled in N.Y.City and became a successful sports writer on the Morning Telegraph (at the movie even appears working with Louella Parsons) , he died at his desk from a heart attack . Masterson said he has not killed as many men as was popularly supposed though he had experienced a great many difficulties . The picture is set in Dodge City , Kansas , the most celebrated of the cowboy cattle towns , became a major railhead cowtown for the cattle driven up from Texas over the long trails , during the cattle boom Dodge shipped more than 250.ooo head a year . The free-spending cowboys attracted professional gamblers , badmen , saloon and brothel keepers and became a rough town in the best traditions of the wild west . Dodge City reigned as ¨Queen of the Cowtowns¨ until final XIX century when the free range cattle industry came to an end . We also find the protagonists (Trevor and Dekker) at the town's cemetery , Boot Hill , it gained fame as the last resting place where gunmen , drifters or usually victims of gunfights or brawls were buried with their ¨boots on¨ and a little ceremony .

The film is an enjoyable western narrated in flashbacks and well written by Aeneas McKenzie . Agreeable musical score nominated for Academy Award by the classic composer Miklos Rozsa . Production is in charge of Harry Sherman , an usual western producer .The motion picture was rightly directed by George Archainbaud . The flick will appeal to western moviegoers.

This film features Albert Dekker as the famous western lawman and newspaper writer, Bat Masterson. And, like so many westerns featuring fictionalized versions of real people, this one is pretty highly fictionalized....though not nearly as much as films about Jesse James (where this thug is portrayed as a hero), Wyatt Earp and others of the era. It's also interesting to see Dekker in such a role, as usually in westerns he'd play the villain!



The story starts in New York City in the twentieth century. Masterson is at work at the paper when he begins to reminisce about his time out west and about his exploits as the sheriff of Dodge City. It seems that when he became sheriff, the city was wild and violent....and he was determined to gain control of the place....and it would be an uphill battle, that's for sure!

The local 'good time girl' is Dora (Claire Trevor) and she has fallen for Masterson...though he doesn't know it. So, when a local baddie comes to town with his men, Dora goes to King Kennedy (Barry Sullivan) and offers to marry him if he and his men leave Masterson alone. While Kennedy agrees, he later changes his mind because, well, he's a big dumb jerk. So there's obviously a showdown coming between Kennedy and Masterson....let's just hope Masterson realizes it's coming!

While the film does have a few cliches (such as the tramp with the heart of gold) and takes liberties with real west celebrities, it manages to do so very well. A combination of excellent direction, good acting and a decent script make the story involving and worth seeing.

I just finished watching this in a DVD collection of westerns. It gave a lot more of the feeling of what it must have been like in Dodge City when they were struggling to move from anarchy to civilization. "Bat Masterson" is more along the lines of Jimmy Stewarts "Six Shooter" who'd rather reason out of a problem than shoot, but will shoot when necessary. Claire Trevor and Albert Decker do a good job on the leads, and the supporting cast contribute some key bits. Barry Sullivan is an interesting Texas cowman.

Unfortunately the print used was dark and punched full of holes from having been marked for TV breaks.